Session Recap: “Echoes Beneath the Ice”
The session opened with the party regrouping after their daring raid on the Hill Giant hall. With the puzzle box still shrouded in mystery and the ice block communicator left behind, the group resolved to return to the hall and uncover more about Chief Nosnra’s motives—and why so many factions seem desperate to claim the box’s contents.
Their journey was interrupted by a hostile scouting party:
- 2 Hill Giants
- 3 Hobgoblins
- 2 Dire Wolves (poorly treated by their orc handler)
- 1 Orc Handler (who fled immediately)
- 1 Human Prisoner
The fight was short and brutal. The party:
- Slain the giants
- Freed one surviving wolf
- Rescued the prisoner, a local ranger named Jorell
- Scattered the hobgoblins
Jorell revealed that Nosnra and his war band were marching on BarrelHaven, intent on destruction. He offered to warn nearby settlements while the party continued their mission. The group healed and equipped him, and Jorell departed to raise the alarm.
🏰 Return to the Hall
At the Hill Giant hall, the party found a crude barricade blocking the main entrance, guarded by four orcs with spears.
Using the severed head of a fallen Hill Giant as a prop, Lucious, with Juhl translating, persuaded the orcs to abandon their post rather than face certain death.
With the entrance cleared, the party infiltrated the hall and successfully stole the ice block from the upper office. They returned to camp and settled in for the night.
🧠 The Ice Block Speaks
That night, Tezir felt a pull from the ice block—a desire to communicate. Uncovering it revealed the image of a Permafrost Giant, watching and waiting.
After tense negotiation and careful wording (never revealing the frog statuette directly), the party struck a deal:
- In exchange for the “contents of the box,” the Permafrost Giant offered a land grant of ¼ of the southern polar region.
- He arranged for the party to meet his agent in Rearsgale, who would transport them to his longhouse in the southern tundra.
Suspecting a trap, the party made plans to travel to Rearsgale—but with the intention of finding teleportation magic to get ahead of Nosnra’s war band and stay one step ahead of the giants.
💰 Loot Recovered
- 8 gems (worth 100 gp each)
- 1 copper mirror (worth 300 gp)